Carton blank with turn down closures

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a carton blank for the forming of a carton for transportation and storage of a plurality of smaller articles, the blank comprising four sides each being provided with a cover flap and a bottom flap and wherein at least one cover flap and the adjacent side is provided with cuts to enable the portion between the cuts to be turned down to render the contents of the ready assembled carton readily accessible even in a crowded place.

Unite States Patent 11 1 1111 3,869,077

Tuura Mar. 4, 1975 [54] CARTON BLANK WITH TURN DOWN 3.054.549 9/1962 Humphrey 229 17 R 3.148.824 9/1964 Foster ct ul........ 229/5l D CLOSURES 3.157.344 11/1964 Hcnncssc) 229/5l D [75] Inventor: Martti Johannes Tuura. Janha. R25;()50 10/1961 Ha1nilton...... 229/34 11w Finland [73] Assignee: A. Ahlstrom Osakeyhtio, Primary E.\'am1'11er-William l. Price Noormarkku, Finland Assistant E.\'an1i11c1--Douglas B. Farrow [77] Filed Nov 30 1972 Attorney, Agent, or FirmBucknam and Archer [21] Appl. No.: 310,850

[57] ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application Priority Data The invention relates to a carton blank for the forming Nov. 30. 1971 Finland 3424/71 of a Carton for transportation and Storage Of a P ity of smaller articles, the blank comprising four sides 521 US. Cl. 229/16 1), 229/17 R, 229/7 R each being Provided with a Cover p and a bottom [51] Int. Cl B65d 5/64, 865d 5/16 flap and wherein at least one colef p and the j [58] Field of Search 229/16 A, 16 D, 51 D, 7 R, cent side is provided with cuts to enable the portion 2 9 7 R between the cuts to be turned down to render the contents of the ready assembled carton readily accessible 5 References Cited even in a crowded place.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures 414,538 ll/l889 Hoen 229/17 R CARTON BLANK WITH TURN DOWN CLOSURES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Cartons comprising four sides each being provided at opposite sides with a cover flap to form together the cover of the carton, and with a bottom flap to form together the bottom o fthe'carton are often used, for example, for transporting items prepacked for sale, and for storing them in a storeroom and a shop. There is, however, a disadvantage in that since when several cartons are piled on top of each other, for example to save space, the contents of only the topmost carton are accessible, and if the pile is high, it is particularly inconvenient. Therefore the goods often have to be repacked, which causes additional expenses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is therefore to create a carton which makes it possible to use the same carton for both transportation and storage and in which the goods are easily accessible even when several cartons have been stacked on top of each other.

The invention accordingly relates to a blank for a carton for the transportation and storage of a plurality of smaller articles, comprising four sections forming the sides of the carton and each being adjacent to two of the other sections, each section having at one free edge a first flap separate from the corresponding flaps of the other side sections and intended to together form the bottom of the carton, and further having at the opposite free edge a second flap also separate from the corresponding flaps of the other side sections and intended to together form the cover of the carton, at least one of said second flaps being divided into three portions by two cuts transversal to said flap and continuing into the adjacent side section to approximately half its BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the annexed drawing, FIG. 1 shows a blank according to the invention which has been spread out completely,

FIG. 2 shown an assembled carton ready for transportation, and j FIG. 3 shows a partly opened carton ready for storage.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The blank shown in FIG. 1 is meant for a carton of the shape of a parallellepiped. The blank, which is preferrably of stiff corrugated cardboard thus contains alternately two sections 1, 3 which form the long sides of the carton and two sections 2, 4 which form the ends of the carton, the fields being separated from each other by fold indicators 5. At the edge of one of the outermost sections (in the illustrated case at the edge of end section 4) there is connecting projection 4a which is attached to the edge of side section 1 by glueing or some other suitable method, so that in practice the blank is a closed and flat double construction. Ad-

joining one edge of sections 1, 2,, 3 4 are flaps 6, 7, 8, 9 which will form the bottom of the carton and which are separated from the said sections by fold indicators 16 and from each other by cuts 17. Each end section 2, 4 has cut 22 forming a handle which facilitates lifting an assembled carton.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, each cover flap 12, 14 adjoining a long sidehas two cuts 18 transversal to the flaps which divide the flaps into three parts 12b, 12a, 12b, and 14b, 14a, 14b. These cuts 18 continue to side sections 1 and 3 to approximately half their height, and the ends of the cuts are connected with each other by fold indicator 19. In side sections 1 and 3, cuts 18 approach each other towards the lower edge of the sections. Cuts 18 have been made at such a distance from the ends of cover flaps 12 and 14 that the width of parts 12b and 14b left outside the cuts is less than half the height of adjacent cover flaps 13 and 15, for the purpose specified below.

Furthermore, according to the invention, the outer edges of cover flaps l3 and 15 adjoining end sections 2 and 4 have projections 13a and 15a, and end sections 2 and 4 have corresponding cuts 21 along bend indicator 16. When a carton is assembled, cover flaps 13 and 15 are folded double along fold indicator 20 so that outer parts 12b and 14b of cover flaps 12 and 14 are left between them, and projections 13a and 15a are attached by pushing them into cuts 21. As a result, the shaped ends of the cover side in an assembled carton according to FIG. 2 form firm supporting surfaces for middle parts 12a, 14a of the cover flaps. In an assembled carton ready for transportation, bottom flaps 6, 7, 8, 9 and cover flaps 12a, -a have been attached with glued paper strips at the seams in a conventional manner; the glued strips are not shown in the drawing.

At the place of use, such as a storeroom or a shop, the carton can be adjusted as shown in FIG. 3 by opening middle parts 12a, 14a of the cover flaps and by folding parts 10, 3a of the side sections down along fold indicators l9 and by turning coverflaps 12a, 14a under the bottom. Then the contents of the carton are easily accessible even when a similar or different carton is stacked on top or when it is on a crowded shelf. Beacuse a carton according to the invention is strong and bearing, several cartons can be'placed on top of each other without shelves, and since the contents of the carton are accessible in all kinds of spaces, savings can be achieved in repacking and shelf expenses, and at the same time the need for storage space is reduced.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the above embodiment but it can be varied within the claims. For example, the shape of the carton can be varied and cuts 18 can be parallel all the way. Furthermore, it is possible to make cuts 18 in one cover flap and adjoining side section only. In such a case cover flaps l3, l4, 15 are similar to respective bottom flaps 7, 8, 9 and cuts 22 are eliminated.

I claim:

1. A carton blank which comprises a panel of sheet material divided into four sections connected to one another along respective fold lines that define the upright edges of the assembled carton, each section definplurality of second flaps each connected to a corresponding section along a fold line defining a corresponding top edge of the assembled carton, said second flaps together forming the top of the assembled carton; means defining in at least one of said sections and the second flap adjoining thereto a pair of spaced-apart cuts dividing the second flaps into three portions and continuing into the section to define therein a central portion connected to the central portion of the second flap and extending from a fold line located in the section intermediate the carton bottom and top edge fold lines thereof, said central portions of such second flap and section forming in the assembled carton a closure which can be turned down to render the entire interior of the carton accessible.

2. A blank as in claim 1 including a pair of said cuts in each of two of said second flaps opposite to each other in the assembled carton, and the sections adjoining said second flaps.

3. A blank as in claim 2, said cuts in said second flaps being situated at such a distance from the side edges of said second flaps that the width of the portions outside of said cuts is less than half the height of the uncut second flaps of the adjacent side sections.

4. A blank as in claim 3, said uncut second flaps having at the half of their height a fold line parallel to the free edge of the flap, said second flaps being intended in the assembled carton to be folded around said outer portion of said second flaps divided by cuts.

5. A blank as in claim 4, the free edges of said uncut second flaps having each at least one projection intended to be inserted into a corresponding slit situated along the fold line between said flap and the adjacent side section upon folding of said flap. 

1. A carton blank which comprises a panel of sheet material divided into four sections connected to one another along respective fold lines that define the upright edges of the assembled carton, each section defining a corresponding upright side of the assembled carton; a plurality of first flaps each connected to a corresponding section along a fold line defining a respective bottom edge of the assembled carton, said first flaps together forming the bottom of the assembled carton; a plurality of second flaps each connected to a corresponding section along a fold line defining a corresponding top edge of the assembled carton, said second flaps together forming the top of the assembled carton; means defining in at least one of said sections and the second flap adjoining thereto a pair of spaced-apart cuts dividing the second flaps into three portions and continuing into the section to define therein a central portion connected to the central portion of the second flap and extending from a fold line located in the section intermediate the carton bottom and top edge fold lines thereof, said central portions of such second flap and section forming in the assembled carton a closure which can be turned down to render the entire interior of the carton accessible.
 2. A blank as in claim 1 including a pair of said cuts in each of two of said second flaps opposite to each other in the assembled carton, and the sections adjoining said second flaps.
 3. A blank as in claim 2, said cuts in said second flaps being situated at such a distance from the side edges of said second flaps that the width of the portions outside of said cuts is less than half the height of the uncut second flaps of the adjacent side sections.
 4. A blank as in claim 3, said uncut second flaps having at the half of their height a fold line parallel to the free edge of the flap, said second flaps being intended in the assembled carton to be folded around said outer portion of said second flaps divided by cuts.
 5. A blank as in claim 4, the free edges of said uncut second flaps having each at least one projection intended to be inserted into a corresponding slit situated along the fold line between said flap and the adjacent side section upon folding of said flap. 